20 Best Tactical Knives 2017 – Military Knife Buying Guide

We are going to share the top 20 best tactical knives of 2017 in this post. We are focused on functionality, durability, and price of the tactical knives.

Buying the best tactical knife for your wilderness activity is a no-brainer. Besides tackling the wild outdoor, a tactical knife can be handy in day to day activities also. If you are into camping, you are no stranger to tactical gears. Besides tactical pen and tactical flashlight, these tactical knives can be a useful tool to have in your backpack. Though a lot of manufacturers have a tactical level in their knives, it’s tough to tell which one fits the bill. That’s why we have taken the hard to filter the knives, and offer you the best tactical knives to you.

20 Best Tactical Knives 2017

Benchmade Bedlam 860 Scimitar

Benchmade is one of the most reputed knife makers in the United States. With a manual opening with the AXIS mechanism with thumb-stud openers, this tactical knife comes with a 154CM blade steel. Even though the price is high, I strongly recommend you to check this tactical knife. The open length of the tactical knife is 9.76 inches which weigh 7.3 ounces. Made of sturdy material, it is very durable and perfectly fits the wilderness. A lot of knife lovers has called this the best tactical knife with a high durability. This manual folders tactical knife is a beast with a hefty price. If you are not ready to read a lot of reviews, and ready to splash some money, Benchmade Bedlam 860 is one of the best tactical knives for you.

Cold Steel Micro Recon 1 Spear Point

Highly lauded for quality knives, Cold Steel is one of the top notch knife manufacturers in the market. Cold Steel Micro Recon 1 Spear Point is a tactical folding knife for a friendly price. With a blade thickness of only 2.5 mm, it comes with a comfortable handle made of Griv-Ex style G-10. Japanese AUS 8A stainless steel with Tuff-Ex coating is used to make this tactical knife. It even comes with a pocket clip to keep it tied to your pocket or another object. If you are a fan of short knives, this is the best tactical folding knife for you. The best part is it comes at a very reasonable price and loved by a lot of knife lovers.

Gerber Silver Trident Knife

Weighing in at only 17.4 ounces, Gerber Silver Trident Knife is a great tactical and combat knife. This incredible knife is resistant to chemicals, heat and UV light. The double edged blade is 154CM in length.Primarily designed for special ops personnel, this tactical knife comes with an advanced handle to make moves faster and quicker. Two versions of Hytel is used to make the handle of this knife. In the inside, a solid rock version is used for strength and the outer part is soft and textured for a better grip. The Gerber silver trident weighs only 17.4 ounces. What’s more, you will also get a nice sheath made of ballistic nylon. Arguably, this is one of the best combat knives in the market.

Zero Tolerance ZT0350TS G10

Zero Tolerance is popular for their world class knives, and Zero Tolerance ZT050TS is no exception. This sturdy tactical knife is equipped with a SpeedSafe manual assist for easy opening. S 30V stainless steel with Tungsten DLC coating is used to make the blade. A lot of people loves stuff which is made in the USA, and for them, this is a great option. That’s because it is made in the USA with love. This non-serrated blade comes with tiger stripe finish for a more bold look. The length of the blade is 3.25 inches, and the overall length is 7.75 inch. Weigh only 5.6 ounces; this is one of the best lightweight military knives in the market.

Kershaw Black Blur Knife

Trapped in a car? Break the glass with this tactical knife. Kershaw black blur is a small tactical knife made for facing the harsh situations. It comes with a 3 3/8 inches small blade. The handle used is 6061-T6 anodized aluminum coated and offers an excellent grip to the users. Kershaw has always been providing durable knives, and this one is no exception. With DLC coating Sandvik 14C28N steel is highly durable to withstand the marine environment. Weighing in only 4 ounces, you can tip up or tip down the pocket clip for easy management.

Schrade SCHA4BG Magic Knife

Made of black 4034 stainless steel, Schrade SCHA4BG is a great folding tactical knife. You will see a black textured aluminum handle in this knife. The length of the blade is 3.3 inch. The overall length of Schrade SCHA4BG is 7.7-inch. This knife features an M.A.G.I.C system which stands for multipurpose, generational, assistant and innovative cutlery. It even comes with a reasonable price if you are looking for a cheap tactical knife.

TAC Force Pocket Knives Tactical Knife

If you are not ready to splash some bucks, you can check this tactical knife for the money. TAC Force’s tactical knife is sturdy and well made. Even though the blade of this tactical knife is only 3.25 inches, it is very useful for different types of work. The blade is quite sharp and works well on the field. The handle might look weird in the first look, but its quite comfortable and easy to hold. The handle feel is quite good and makes it easy for operating the knife.

SOG SLPro Folding Knife ToolLogic SLPB2

If you want a tactical flashlight with knife combo, SOG SLPro Folding Knife ToolLogic SLPB2 is a great option for you. This is a combo which is great for outdoor activities. It comes with three-inch 50/50 serrated stainless steel with the satin blade. It is equipped with a waterproof flashlight which is great for working in dark areas like the basement, outdoor or the garage. It also comes with a loud emergency signal whistle to draw attention when needed. This rugged tactical knife comes with a decent price tag and has been loved by a lot of outdoor activities.

Gerber Applegate Covert Knife: Serrated Edge

Despite its seemingly simple appearance, Gerber Applegate Covert knife is very useful for your outdoor exploration time. The 154CM blade with the titanium nitride coating makes it very stylish. Though the price is slightly high, you can ignore that as the durability and strength are high. There is a small but functional pocket clip hole on the top side of the knife. The overall length is 8.7 inches and 4.9 inches when closed. Despite being strong, it weighs only 4.2 ounces. For safety, it includes patented roto-lock.

Buck Knives 0870 Bones Tactical Folding Knife

If you are into buying different kinds of knives, you have already bought one or two knives from Buck Knives. They are legendary in this knife making scene, and they have always proved to be a great manufacturer. Buck Knives Bones 0870 is a partially serrated tactical folding knife which comes with a low price tag. It comes with a 3“ modified tanto and partially serrated 420 steel blade. You can open the knife with one hand, thanks to the thumb stud. When closed the length of the knife is 4 5/8” only. The handle of the knife looks classy and lets you have a nice grip when using it. With this high-tech design at a low price, this tops a lot of people’s “top tactical knives” list.

Kootek Tactical Flashlight Knife K1

If you are working in low light or want a combo of flashlight with a tactical knife, this one will fit the bill. This tactical knife comes with three assembly ways which can be combined to make a long flashlight or a short torch lite. The flashlight also comes with several zoom option and three brightness modes (high/low/strobe). The flashlight is powered using recharging 18650 batteries. You can use the 3.5mm inches long blade for cutting small objects like tree limbs or to prepare foods. If you are going to camping, fishing or other casual outdoor activities, kootek tactical flashlight is a great option for you. The best part is it comes with a very low price.

Sage2 Titanium PlainEdge Knife

Made of high-quality raw material, Sage2 Titanium is a folding knife with a spear-point blade. Spyderco used a screw constructed titanium handle for high durability and comfort. The Reeve integral lock system uses the handle scale as a liner. When closed, this knife is only 4 3/16 inches in length. Weighing only 3.5 ounces, this one is one of the best lightweight tactical knives in the list. The Plainedge feature means it’s ground flat for more precise cutting and preparing. It’s that one nice small tactical knife which can be stored in less space.

Gerber Swagger Knife

Gerber Swagger is a knife with assisted opening function. If you are into EDC knives, this is the EDC tactical blade you will desire. To be ready for any type of conditions require you to have the proper tool in your hand, and Gerber Swagger should be one of them. With a solid construction and one hand opening advantage, this tactical blade comes with a 3.25-inch blade. Gerber used their Assisted Opening 2.0 technology to make it easy for opening the knife with one hand. It uses reliable plunge lock which will secure the blade from causing unwanted damage. The blade has been coated with black titanium nitride to prevent corrosion and unwanted reflection. What’s more, it even comes with a utilitarian pocket clip to keep the knife on our belt or in your pocket.

Spyderco Assist Black Blade

Spyderco made knives are specially used for harsh conditions. This Spyderco Assist Black blade tactical knife is a perfect choice for firefighters, rescue professionals, and well-equipped civilians. As you can see, this knife will take a force to stab, but it is a good option for rescuing purpose. Made of high-quality raw materials, this knife comes with a 3.7 inch VG-10 steel blade. With 3.2-inch cutting edge and 0.56-inch blade hole, it weighs only four ounces. You will see a blunt-tipped blade which is toothed SpyderEdged surface for slicing seat belts or fibrous material when rescuing. This is why it’s the best tactical knife for rescue professionals.

Smith & Wesson Border Guard SWBG2TS

Besides making firearms, Smith & Wesson also makes knives. Situated in Springfield, Massachusetts, Smith & Wesson specializes in making defensive gears like this tactical knife. Smith & Wesson Border Guard SWBG2TS is a tactical folding knife with a partially serrated blade. Made of black 7Cr17 high carbon stainless steel, this knife provides high durability at a low cost. The blade has a length of 4.4 inches and weighs only .56 pounds. You will find ambidextrous thumb knobs with duel blood grooves in it. It comes with a black aluminum handle with track tech inserts. You can also use this knife for glass breaking purpose. With all these features, it can be called as a multifunctional knife for the money.

Rothco Genuine British Commando Knife

Ever wanted to feel like a commando? If the answer is yes, now is the time to do that with this commando knife. You can put this commando knife in the leg sheath and brag how badass commando you are. This commando knife comes with a leg sheath for free. Made for close combats in mind, this is designed for the toughest and roughest users in mind. Rothco’s products are mainly used for the recreational purpose, and they have done a great job making this combat knife.

Gerber Mark II Knife [22-01874]

Gerber Mark II is a classic tactical knife first featured in 1966. A lot of collectors has this tactical knife in their collector’s box with love. Unlike usual tactical knives, this one’s blade is double serrated which comes very handy when piercing stuff like a seatbelt. If you love tactical knives with long blades, you will love it’s 6.5” long length blade. The overall length is 12.75” which might put some user off. The blade has been black oxide coated to prevent corrosion and reflection. The die-cast aluminum handle offers good grip for combat and survival conditions. Gerber Mark II often called as the best combat knife by a lot of critics, and I wouldn’t disagree with them.

Benchmade Contego 810

Benchmade Contego 810 is an another excellent tactical folding knife from Benchmade. With a plain and sharp blade fishing, this tactical knife features a reverse tanto shape. Contego folder comes with an aggressive texture with a glass breaker on the pommel. Super strong CPM-M4 steel is used to make the blade of this tactical knife. The length of the blade is 3.98” with a .156” thickness. Weighing in only 5.92oz, this is perfectly designed for the tactical purpose only. Like most of Benchmade knives, it is also made in USA. That’s one more good reason to purchase this awesome tactical knife.

Ka-Bar TDI Law Enforcement Knife Fixed Blade

TDI stands for tactical defense institute. This tactical knife is specially designed for law enforcement officers. Ka-Bar TDI fixed blade knife is made of AUS-8A stainless steel blade with the hardness of steel-57-59-HRC. The overall length of the blade is 5 5/8 inches with 2 5/16 inches blade. Though the blade may be small, it is highly effective for defense purpose. TDI knife comes with a black handle with a nice sheath to keep it secured. This is a great combination of price, functionality, and quality.

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